Otsdarva approaches the Lions and Amparos to try and break the formation of the unit. Ayla was at a distance far behind him to cover any gaps in the approach, and to tag any stragglers after breaking their formation. The Amparos and Lions, on the other hand, stayed firm in their approach, waiting for the Palisade to get close.

• Sion - Their formation is solid. However, the one on the far left seems to be lagging behind. Knock that one out and they'll scatter.

• Otsdarva - Aight... Here goes nothing. Firing Stake!

Palisade opens with one Stake launched at high velocity towards the Amparos on the far left, decapitating the unit's head camera clean.

• Minuano 5 - Damn! There goes 44! Good thing I didn't put money on him surviving this. *Laughs* Disperse and surround him!

As Minuano 5 was moving to circle around the Palisade, a shot whizzed through his Amparos's chest, killing him instantly. Ayla's shot hit it's mark from a long distance, putting the enemy on edge.​

• Minuano Squad Leader - Don't dawdle around. Divert power and focus on mobility. Lions, better start putting in work!

• Sentou - Roger that. Cas, go after that sniper. I'll deal with Spike over here.

• Casval - Roger. Moving to engage.

• Sentou - Hmm? Incoming transmission from Spike?

• Otsdarva - Never thought I'd see you again so soon, pretty boys.

• Sion - Ahh, it's you again. Where is Scarecrow?

• Otsdarva - Dunno who you're talking about. Nor do I care.

• Sion - Don't get too ahead of yourself. You still got some grunts flying around you. You'll get outnumbered!

• Eledore - Don't zone out!

Eledore and Minuano 2 approach Otsdarva from above and beside him, forcing him to break off his approach towards Sentou. Eledore and Min 2 swooped in and converged onto his position, firing shot after shot of their weapons. in unison. One shot from Min 2's Shield Rifle forced an arm block by Otsdarva using the Blitz Magnum to negate. However, he couldn't recover in time to counterattack the next approach.

• O - Damn, I should have done some calibrations beforehand. Frame is moving too slow.

• Sion - Simple motions. Avoid anything that'd gives too much momentum. And if you end up doing so, cover with hardpoint weapons and utility.

Eledore and Min 2 delivered a simultaneous kick to the chest on Palisade's chest. The kick launched Otsdarva a short distance. He used that momentum of getting kicked to carry himself and boost further back and upward to create distance, now having the sun towards his back.

• Eledore - Split now. In case he goes for a saturation attack.

• Minuano 2 - Don't tell me what to do. I get the picture anyways.

The Amparos and Guarlion Custom split into two directions, creating further distance to harass Palisade.​

• Otsdarva - Hey Ayla... how are you holding up?

• Ayla - I'm getting swarmed to hell over here. Ran out of Smart Bombs to cover my escape, but that damn Armorlion is not making things easy for me.

• Otsdarva - Hang on. I'll be right the-

• Sentou - I don't think so!

The Lion was approaching at high speeds from the sun. His Break Field was already deployed, ready to pulverize Palisade. As it was closely approaching, Palisade suddenly turned towards it with arms open.​

• Otsdarva - Huh? What's going on?

• Palisade - INITIATING HAZARD CALCULATION. ACTING...

• ACE - Allow me to interface. You will feel dizzy.

• Otsdarva - OK. Do what you need to do.

Otsdarva closes his visor, and lets ACE take control. He plugs in a cable from the visor onto his cockpit computer, allowing direct interfacing with the onboard AI. ​

• ACE - Crossing data parameters. Sifting through hazard calculations to find optimal outcome.

• Palisade - Cross-referencing complete. Running quick simulation of suggested actions.

• ACE - Cross-reference understood. Executing.

The Palisade started approaching the Lion with Blitz Magnum extended and charged with electricity. In a brilliant display, it projected an arc charge to destabilize the Break Field, throwing Sentou off course. Palisade quickly followed up with a swift spin kick to the back of the Lion, sending it towards Min 2's Amparos. In the same motion, fired off the Stake towards Eledore's Guarlion Custom, throwing him off course.​

• Eledore - What in the blue hell!? Was that a motion pattern? Nah... that seemed a bit too unnatural in these circumstances.

The Guarlion Custom backed off to check on the Lion. Min 2's Amparos dodged and charged towards Palisade with it's energy shield active. He noticed the considerable pause from the Palisade, taking this as an opportunity to strike.​

• Minuano 2 - Payday is mine, bastard!

*CRASH*​

A successful impact was delivered. The Amparos was pushing the Palisade around and toward the plateau. Otsdarva, through it all, was unresponsive. Unable to hear the cries and hails of Sion.

---

Ayla was strafing left and right on the ground, avoiding the airborne barrage of fire from the Amparos. The Armorlion trailing behind the barrage, peeking with arm saber stabs and swipes.

• Ayla - Damn it... Can't get a good shot at the Amparos in the sky. If I try to go for the Armorlion, I'll just get suppressed. I have to create some more distance.

• Casval - You've done well to last this long, Sniper. Even at a disadvantage, you have been looking for a chance to counterattack. However, I WILL NOT let you get that chance.

• Ayla - How nice of you to proclaim that.

There was a momentary pause from Casval.​

• Casval - I seem to have misjudged the situation. A lady such as yourself on the battlefield must have a lot of experience to endure this onslaught.

• Ayla - *annoyed* And that's supposed to mean...?

• Casval - You remind me of someone. Yet, you lack something to match, or even surpass that of what I envision.

• Ayla - Fill me in, oh great chivalrous one. What exactly am I lacking?

The Armorlion charges in faster with it's Arm Sabers withdrawn, and it's Hard Heat Horn heated up. ​The Amparos fired towards the ground where Ayla was standing, creating a dust cloud dense enough to cover the Armorlion's approach. From there, the Armorlion circled around the MP Huckebein MK-II Marksman  and in the dust clouds. The Marksman tried to ascend to the air, only to be greeted with two shields pushing her back down to the ground with a Repulsion Wave. Right beneath, Armorlion charged at her back while still being pushed down from the forceful wave. With enough time to act, she managed to get away with having her backpack left wing clipped as the Armorlion charged towards her, causing her to spin out.

• Casval - You lack tenacity. Especially HER tenacity.

• Ayla - I'm sorry... who? And what I did was pretty tenacious to say the least.

• Casval - Not even close. You don't even have her aggression. Her fearlessness. Her-

• Ayla - Uhh... you do know it's rude to talk about another woman so passionately in front of one, right?

• Casval - Then make me respect you. I doubt that you could with the loadout you have, Sniper.

Marksman was on a near-prone position, back facing toward the sky. As the three enemy units were getting closer, there was only one shot to pull something crafty to get out of this situation. The Armorlion was approaching at high speeds, as if preparing for a coup de grace using it's blade legs to seal the deal. Fortunately, this was the right time to spring up a surprise maneuver. The Marksman boosted forward, leading a collision course towards the Armorlion. In a split-second decision, Marksman launched her backpack towards the Armorlion's cockpit. He dodges the backpack with a slight pivot, continuing his approach. Unbeknownst to him, the backpack was making it's ascent towards one of the Amparos. Minuano 13's to be exact. The massive backpack released a UAV that immediately deployed chaff around the area, disrupting the shields and sensors of everyone else. The entire field was enveloped in confusion... with the exception of Marksman, who had a special visor that allowed her to scope in and land a clean shot. And that she did. Through the dust, everything was clean and clear amidst the chaff thanks to the high-powered radome on the UAV. BOOM. Off went the Boosted DMR that cleared the dust with one shot. It pierced right through the shield arm of Minuano 13's Amparos, blasting through it cleanly. The entire right side of Minuano 13's torso was in major disrepair.​

• Minuano 13 - Shit... Cap, I'm in no shape to fight. I'm retreating.

• MSL - Like hell you are! Make yourself useful and self-destruct.

• Casval - You will do no such thing.

• Minuano 13 - Oh shut up. I hate men like you. Always jumping to the worst possible outcome!

• Casval - HUUH!?

• Minuano 13 - Besides, my ejection module is damaged, reactor is going near critical, but I'm not down and out quite yet. Not until Lady Unluck pays her dues!

• MSL - Hehe... give'em hell, Catalina.

• Minuano 13 - Hey, girlie. Are you ready to taste some bad luck?

Minuano 13 was charging straight for Marksman in a last ditch effort to throw a wrench in Ayla's combat momentum. Ayla remained in her firing stance with her back on the ground. Unbeknownst to Min 13, the drone was rapidly approaching, delivering round after round of gel vulcans to gum up the boosters. It mattered not, as the Amparos was already falling at a greater rate of speed towards​ Marksman. The Armorlion and Squad Leader's Amparos simply stood by, keeping a clear distance in case the worse happens. That was when the Armorlion noticed a strange flash.

• Casval - Number 13. MOVE!

• MSL - The hell you goin' on abo-

A laser beam suddenly blasts through the falling Amparos, as well as forcing the Armorlion to dodge. Minuano 13 was killed instantly​ after being vaporized along with her unit. Casval was on high alert. The Squad Leader, pure confusion. It took some pause, but Casval realized what was going to happen after some time passed.

• MSL - What the hell is going on?

• Casval - We're not safe here. We have to retreat. There's a new enemy with a higher caliber of potential hanging around the combat area. The longer we stick around.. the more... we...

• MSL - What? Why did you stop talking?

Casval laid eyes upon what appeared to be a slender, black mech standing atop the head of the MSL's Amparos. Arms crossed, it seemed to judge the situation with little regard to caution. And in a flash, both arms of the Amparos were cleaved clean off the sockets before being treated as a launchpad, kicking it square to the ground.​ The mech was leaping towards the direction where Otsdarva landed on the plateau, leaving behind the crippled Amparos on the ground in it's wake. Bewildered by the situation, Ayla took the opportunity to bring in her drone to gum up the sensor cameras of the Armorlion with more paint bullets, buying her enough time to reposition and shoot at Casval's thrusters to keep him from turning around.

• Casval - Damn it... what is going on!? I have to warn the others of that black mech. It seemed eerily familiar though. But where did it come from?

Unable to see the situation, he sent a message to Eledore warning of the black mech's encroachment towards their position, hoping that it would make it through the remaining chaff in the sky. He furiously copies and pastes the message, sending a barrage of messages to try and guarantee the process. Meanwhile, Eledore and Minuano 2 surround the now-dormant Palisade. Confused as to why it stopped moving, Eledore was taking a closer look towards the Palisade. Minuano 2, on the other hand, was ready to strike down on him at a moments notice. Eledore stopped him quickly.​

• Eledore - What are you doing?

• Min 2 - What if he gets back up, huh?

• Eledore - I'm well aware of that, but damaging a new unit like that will not bring us any benefit. It's important that we can extract the pilot and take the mech back to base with us. 

• Min 2- You do it, then. You're the one that's actually good with hands-on stuff.

• Eledore - How do you know that? You don't even have access to computers in prison?

• Min 2 - I have sources outside the joint. But we're wasting time here. Get to cracking.

• Eledore - Fine.

Eledore gets out of his Guarlion Custom and tries to access the cockpit of the Palisade. Much to his dismay, he was unable to properly interface with the cockpit controls due to the Seizure Security System locking it from the inside out. Out of fear of tripping a self-destruct sequence, Eledore backs off and returns to his Guarlion.​

• Eledore - It's no use.

• Min 2- What do you mean "it's no use?" Did you even try?

• Eledore - From simple glance, there's no safety latch to pop the cockpit open. It is essentially a coffin due to the overall design nature of it. Lots of armor plating in the way. And the S3 Protocol would probably eject me from any hacking attempts, so it's also pointless.

• Min 2 -  More of a reason to bring it back to base with us then. Call for extraction and have them pick it up with us.

• Eledore - Hmm... good idea. I guess we can do that and-

Eledore was interrupted by a series of beeps coming from his terminal. All of them were secure messages coming from Casval containing the warnings about a black mech approaching at high speeds. By that point, there was only a silhouette that stood behind Minuano 2's Amparos, ready to strike from behind.​

• Eledore - What!?

• Min 2 - What are you freaking out about?

• Eledore - Did your sensors not go off?

• Min 2 - Mine are ay-okay if you're wondering. Seriously what are you-

A hand drove through the Amparos from behind, staining it with a mix of fluids and blood. With a coup-de-grace, it delivered a horizontal slash that cleaved the rest of the upper portion of the Karakuri clean off, leaving little heat off the frame. All that stood now was the black mech, with it's red visor trained directly towards Eledore. 

• Eledore - A Grungust? It doesn't even have a face.

• ??? - It does lack the charm, but it can express itself in more varied ways.

The mysterious mech drew two sword hilts and materialized the blades through galvanization. In a flash, two swords were pointed towards Eledore with a spectacular shine.​

• ??? - And goddamn... does it have such variety in stock. I gotta hand it to the doc for giving it such nice bells and whistles to make it stand out. I could practically marry this damn thing if I could with all the toys it got in such a small frame. 

• Eledore - How did you get your hands on a Mass Produced Grungrust Frame? Who gave it to you?

• ??? - The fuck? You think I'm just gonna tell you outright? Or better yet... I will tell it to you. That way I have full reason to kill you!

• Eledore - On second thought, I rescind my question! You can have him. 

He points towards the Palisade lying on the ground. In the process, Eledore slowly backs towards Sentou's Lion and picks it up off the ground with whatever strength it could muster.​

• Eledore - All hands, I am issuing a retreat effective immediately. We are vacating the mission area. We have accomplished our primary objective. Commence exfil IMMEDIATELY. 

• Casval - Roger that.

• MSL - Hurk... Roger that.

One by one, the Lions and the remaining Amparos started to retreat into the distance. The Armorlion was lagging behind due to the paint on it's sensor cameras, leading it to using the heat of the Roche Sabers to melt it off.​ As they flew off into the distance, the MP Grungust stood proudly as the various contrails were dissipating in their retreat. From there, the Grungust shot a wire from it's hand towards the head of the Palisade, and started to power it on. It was interfacing with the S3 Protocol with such ease, effortlessly opening up the Palisade's cockpit.

• ??? - Hey Sion. It's me.

• Sion -  Noa? Where have you been all this time?

• Noa - Grabbed my trusty steed. That's what.

• Sion - Is Otsdarva doing okay?

• Noa - S3 was active, so he was probably blacked out. Plus, there's no way in hell any of you can carry the Palisade down to base. The strain will be too much.

• Sion - I suppose you have a solution?

• Noa - Yeah. I got some backup for the occasion.

• Sion - Back up?

Loud rumbling on the ground and sky could be heard in the background of the comms. A giant tank platform and a massive stealth plane approached from a distance. The plane lowered magnetic cables that lifted the heavyweight PT onto the platform. Both of them descended down into the crevasse and were en-route to the base entrance. Otsdarva, was still inside the Palisade, leaving Noa to watch over him in the process.​

• Sion - For now, we'll just have to recover and repair. Alya got banged up, too, so it's important that we get some rest. I doubt they will come back for revenge after what happened.

• Noa - How can you be so sure?

• Sion - Just a hunch at who might be pulling the strings... Speaking of which. You're gonna have to do some explaining with all those new toys you got coming along the way. I'm just glad that the hangar is big enough to fit whatever you got.

• Noa - In due time, buddy. After all... we got some training to do.